Inverness

Highlands Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in the Highlands, the United Kingdom in December.

Thinking about venturing to the Highlands, the United Kingdom this December and curious about the weather conditions to expect? This page holds all the key information you seek, responding to your question:

What to Expect in the Highlands in December

The Highlands, the United Kingdom is a region in the United Kingdom. December in the Highlands generally has cold temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy. It's the height of winter.

Temperatures

The average maximum temperatures are cold and range from 5°C (41°F) in Kingussie to 10°C (50°F) in Dunvegan. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 6°C (43°F) in Dunvegan and -1°C (30°F) in Kingussie. On average, December is the coldest month of the year in the Highlands, the United Kingdom. So be prepared and make sure to pack winter cloths.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of the Highlands, the United Kingdom, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Balintore with an average of 71 mm (2.8 in) to heavy rainfall in Arisaig with 262 mm (10 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine is quite limited in many locations during December. Inverness receives roughly 27 hours of sunlight. For destinations with more sunshine, our weather planner offers alternatives worldwide.

Explore the Highlands by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in the Highlands — and find the best time to visit. (based on Inverness)

Best Places to Visit in the Highlands in December

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across the Highlands.

perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in the Highlands

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in the Highlands, the United Kingdom?

Temperature range in the Highlands (December)

Precipitation variation in the Highlands (December)

Inverness

In December Inverness generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 7°C (45°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

November
December
January
Max temperature
9°C (48°F)
7°C (45°F)
7°C (45°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
1°C (34°F)
1°C (34°F)
Monthly sun hours
48 hours
27 hours
40 hours
Monthly rainfall
85 mm (3.3 in)
92 mm (3.6 in)
99 mm (3.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
20 days
19 days
Weather conditions

Fort William

In December Fort William generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

November
December
January
Max temperature
9°C (48°F)
6°C (43°F)
6°C (43°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
1°C (34°F)
1°C (34°F)
Monthly sun hours
46 hours
31 hours
33 hours
Monthly rainfall
186 mm (7.3 in)
213 mm (8.4 in)
232 mm (9.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
23 days
24 days
24 days
Weather conditions

Fort Augustus

In December Fort Augustus generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 0°C (32°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

November
December
January
Max temperature
8°C (46°F)
6°C (43°F)
6°C (43°F)
Min temperature
2°C (36°F)
0°C (32°F)
0°C (32°F)
Monthly sun hours
48 hours
27 hours
40 hours
Monthly rainfall
130 mm (5.1 in)
150 mm (5.9 in)
167 mm (6.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
23 days
24 days
23 days
Weather conditions

Nairn

In December Nairn generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 2°C (36°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

November
December
January
Max temperature
10°C (50°F)
8°C (46°F)
8°C (46°F)
Min temperature
4°C (39°F)
2°C (36°F)
2°C (36°F)
Monthly sun hours
48 hours
27 hours
40 hours
Monthly rainfall
77 mm (3 in)
76 mm (3 in)
80 mm (3.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
19 days
18 days
Weather conditions

Drumnadrochit

In December Drumnadrochit generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

November
December
January
Max temperature
9°C (48°F)
6°C (43°F)
6°C (43°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
1°C (34°F)
1°C (34°F)
Monthly sun hours
48 hours
27 hours
40 hours
Monthly rainfall
100 mm (3.9 in)
113 mm (4.4 in)
124 mm (4.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
21 days
22 days
21 days
Weather conditions

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in the Highlands, in the United Kingdom.

In our records: the United Kingdom December extremes

Notable December records observed across cities in the United Kingdom in our climate database (1976 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • In our records, the coldest December daytime high in the United Kingdom was -10°C (14°F) in Glasgow on December 29, 1995.
  • From our sources, the wettest December day in the United Kingdom brought 301 mm (12 in) in Belfast on December 4, 1982.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in the Highlands in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Inverness 7°C (45°F) 1°C (34°F) 92 mm (3.6 in)
Fort William 6°C (43°F) 1°C (34°F) 213 mm (8.4 in)
Fort Augustus 6°C (43°F) 0°C (32°F) 150 mm (5.9 in)
Nairn 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 76 mm (3 in)
Drumnadrochit 6°C (43°F) 1°C (34°F) 113 mm (4.4 in)
Grantown on Spey 6°C (43°F) 0°C (32°F) 87 mm (3.4 in)

The Highlands weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in the Highlands, the United Kingdom in December?

December in the Highlands, the United Kingdom brings poor weather. In Inverness, daytime temperatures are typically around 7°C (45°F) and nighttime lows hover near 1°C (34°F).

What is the average temperature in the Highlands, the United Kingdom in December?

In Inverness, the average daytime high in December is 7°C (45°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around 1°C (34°F).

Does the Highlands, the United Kingdom get a lot of rain in December?

Rain is generally moderate to light in the Highlands, the United Kingdom during December, with Inverness averaging close to 92 mm (3.6 in).

Is December a Good Time to Visit the Highlands, the United Kingdom?

Given the typically poor weather conditions in Inverness, December may not be the ideal time to visit the Highlands, the United Kingdom.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in July and August offering mostly pleasant weather in Inverness. On the other hand, the weather in January, February, March, November and December tend to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in the Highlands.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to the United Kingdom? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in the United Kingdom.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

Bucket list

Need travel inspiration? Check out our bucket list articles and be inspired.